Legacy
by Skydite
Summary: A dream to become the Champion - that was my goal. I was different from all of the kids who thought they were the best; I was an ordinary trainer, but I would rise above all the others and stand out. But all dreams have the possibility of turning into a hellish nightmare. I still wonder where it all went wrong.


I remember the promise I made to myself the first day I set off to become a trainer. In reality, I made not one, not two, but three promises. And I know how I was. I adhered to them religiously as solemn oaths, not to be broken at any cost. Until I broke all three of them.

Nonetheless, my young mind never entertained that possibility. I believed that I would be a trainer unrivaled by any other. I had my mind set on world domination - I would become the best darned trainer in the world - until my mother calmly rebuffed me and prompted me to rethink my venture. Instead, I settled firmly on a more modest objective.

I wanted to become the Champion.

So what if hundreds of children dreamed of being the Champion and never saw it come to fruition? I would be the first of my generation. I knew I was a dreamer, as I had been told by a great many people, but I knew better than them. I would show them. A young kid, no more than twelve years old, would take the world by storm. It made me ecstatic just to think about.

And so, every time I watched the Champion take on a new challenger, I thought about how I would accomplish that. My eyes glued to the screen every time the official tournaments came on the television, I jotted down notes. Mostly, I took mental note of the pokemon they fought with. Charizard, Scizor, Tropius, Luxray … almost too many for my ten-year-old mind to keep track of.

By the end of it all, though, I knew that my method would be simple - I would train and train and train, through rain and shine, and blood and toil, long and hard until my pokemon were the strongest they could be. Countless days and nights would be spent working towards success. And we would not rest until we got there.

Of course … that sparked the question that I'd been waiting on the answer for since I was as young as I could remember. What would be my first pokemon?

The fact that I didn't have it yet was a bit of a problem, and my parents were no keener than they were several years ago about getting me one. My mom, at least.

My dad, as I understood, had been quite the trainer - in fact, last time he came home, he'd been shocked that I didn't already have a pokemon. To make matters worse, I knew he had started training at a young age. I felt like a disappointment. His constant outings meant that my mom was practically the ultimate authority on the issue; that almost never worked in my favor.

My mother, on the other hand, was against the idea entirely. She often cited "dangerous" as the reason I couldn't have a pokemon, which may have been a product of my dad's wild stories about his time pokemon training that I loved to listen to when I had the chance. I of course argued that I needed to set out on a journey _some time_.

That argument never seemed to sway her. Until now.

I was supposed to have embarked on my journey over one year ago. My tenth birthday had come and gone with the snap of a finger and here I was, starter-less and at home. Nonetheless, my parents had reluctantly agreed to let me go this year, by the logic that all children leave home eventually, and that if I stayed here I was going to start to get lonely (I had only one friend left who had not begun his journey yet, save for myself).

Now, two days after my eleventh birthday, I was beyond frustrated. How come I hadn't received a starter for my birthday? My mom could use the excuse that she didn't know what I wanted, but I told her that I didn't really care.

Well, alright, maybe I cared a _little_. I wanted a pokemon that I was going to bounce from victory to victory with, that would strike awe into the hearts of thousands watching when I won the Championship. By this point, though, I realized that there were other priorities, such as getting out of here as soon as possible. I could always trade for the pokemon I wanted, but I was a sitting duck if I didn't so much as have one in hand.

"When can I have my pokemon?" I asked innocently, putting on the curious child look that always worked so well on my parents. This time, it did not.

"When we decide on one for you," my mom said sternly. I returned to my frown, poking at my dinner. "Sweetie, we want to pick the right pokemon for you. One that won't burn you or hurt you or be difficult to train."

"Can't you choose faster?" I all but begged. She shook her head and sighed. "And trainers train pokemon! Duh. That's what they do. Who cares if it's hard to train?"

"Do you have a pokemon in mind?"

"No, but-!"

"You need to understand that this is a tough choice for us," she said as she stroked my hair. I pouted and turned away. "Be patient."

I half-turned back to her. "I … I really like Trapinch. Can I have one?"

Sadly, I had seen the answer coming. Trapinch were particularly rare, even from breeders. From what I'd heard, they were only found in a sparse area north of where we lived.

"Honey, you have all the time in the world to go on your journey," she said, voice like silk as she rubbed my shoulder. "You'll have your pokemon soon."

And weeks passed by just like that one. My incessant asking was starting to get on my mom's nerves. I didn't care. I wanted something. I felt lonelier and more longing than ever, especially when the tournaments came on and I watched the ongoing battles (even those were starting to become dry as the same challengers came up over and over).

I let out a huff as I started taking down names of pokemon that I knew and rifling through books to find more, as well as any information I could about them. I was beginning to pull out my hair in frustration after a whole week after my birthday. What if I stayed here until I was fifteen?! Or until I was an adult, even? I couldn't afford to be cooped up in here while I should be training my team to take on the strongest trainers in the world! I wanted the thrill of adventure, and I wanted to have a companion. It felt like I was having less and less living things that I could relate to as time went by.

"Please please pleeeaaase can I have a Skorupi?"

I had always found them cool, and one of the kids in my class had one. Unfortunately, my mother didn't think the same as I did.

"Are you out of your mind? They're venomous and too dangerous. We'll get you something … better," she said.

"When?"

"Soon."

"Mom, I'm almost eleven! Can you get me an Eevee?"

"We don't have the money for an Eevee. And besides, didn't you say everyone has one?"

"All the _snotty_ kids in my class do! But they're cute and cuddly and-"

"No Eevee."

I knew it would be useless to ask for something like a dragon type; there was no way in anything in the physically or mentally existing universe that they would buy me a dragon Pokemon. They fetched prices with digits that made me very uncomfortable.

"I want a Haunter." Again, my answer was an obvious no as I watched my mother go pale from the thought of ghost types.

No dark Pokemon was also a standard regulation. I had discovered this when I had asked about a Houndour. Apparently there was some sort of ridiculous superstition surrounding ghost and dark types that my mom somehow bought into.

I racked my mind for memories of certain pokemon. I'd played with Glameow and Meowth, but I didn't want either of those; Glameow were too uptight and Meowth were known for their theft of trainer goods. I had interacted with other pokemon, albeit on a limited basis. I was attacked by a Beedrill swarm on vacation once. I'd attempted to catch a ? on that same trip and wound up emerging from the water with a Krabby attached to my finger. I had cried hard that night. Those pincers were no joke. And pokemon like Shellos or Grimer were just slimy and yucky, and from what I'd heard, Grimer smelled more foul than the actual sewers of the region.

My second-last friend had set off months before when he received his Tauros, which was incidentally also how I figured out that I didn't want one, nor to come within a mile of one. They were fast, and also aggressive. I'd had my feet knocked out from under me more than once that day. I made sure to let my mom know that she was not to get me one of those.

I also knew that a Growlithe was an absolute no. The last time I had encountered a Growlithe, it had belonged to a crotchety old man and had somehow escaped from him. The problem was that it chased me down; more accurately, chased me up. It chased me up a tree and snarled, barked, and snapped at me until the man called it off nearly an hour later. I didn't want a pokemon that rambunctious and out of control. And they said Growlithe were supposed to make good pets ...

I actually had more pokemon I didn't want on my rudimentary list than ones that I did. Not that it mattered, since at this rate, I wasn't going to get a pokemon at all!

The only other living human I felt could relate to me was the only friend I had left in this sad hole of a town. We often reminisced together about the feats we could accomplish as trainers, if we ever got there. No - _when _we got there.

"How can you be the Champion when I'm going to get there first?" Alex teased.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll beat you into the dirt, obviously."

"You think you can?"

"Not without pokemon, I can't. But that means you can't become the Champion either."

"Then I guess we're both in the same boat," he sighed. He kicked out his legs and leaned back, which allowed his brown hair to fall out of his face. "Say, you don't know if any of our friends could set us up with something?"

I grunted. "No, they all left us behind, remember?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Are you totally clueless sometimes or what?"

"At this point I'm just going to catch a pokemon myself. With my bare hands." Alex gave a grin and stood up, searching around as though he was scanning the area for pokemon. I snorted.

"Good luck with that. I already tried, a million times."

"What are you gonna do, beg your parents to get you a pokemon? You know our parents are just going to keep us home as long as they can, right?"

"I figured."

Eventually, I stopped asking about pokemon. I was running out of pokemon I actually wanted as I slowly resigned myself to the thought of having my parents choose for me, without my help. I had exhausted my knowledge, and knew that there was a lot more out there that I didn't know about. I decided to leave it up to fate. I didn't know if I believed in the alignment of the stars or any of that, but I knew that sometimes, it was best to leave things alone and let them happen on their own. So that's what I did.

For a few days.

"I'm sorry," Alex murmured, the bright yellow furball of a Pichu clamoring at his sides. It seemed to be desperate for attention. Its cheeks and ears crackled with small surges of electricity. This was the least of my worries; my biggest was that my only friend was leaving me.

"I- I thought."

"Listen … I'll get you one too! I- I can try! Please, please don't be mad at me!" Alex begged, eyes wide and innocent. "My parents just … they just threw this onto me, okay? Don't hold it against me." He averted his gaze and tried to hide behind his hair.

"You're leaving me," I said simply. I turned in the other direction.

"No, wait-!"

"It's fine," I said, though it probably came off most insincere. I didn't care at this point; intentional or not, I was hurt. And more importantly, I felt alone. That deep, sinking feeling in my stomach told me that I was going to stay here forever. "Good luck. Your little guy is cute," I said as I eyed the Pichu. It waggled its ears playfully.

"I know," he said with a smile. "I'll try to wait for you at the first gym. I'll try and get you a pokemon, I promise!" he reassured. It was obvious that he sensed my doubt. I offered a weak smile.

"It's okay. Just enjoy training. You can bet I'll catch up to you. Tomorrow, a week from now, a year from now, I'll be coming for you." We said our goodbyes before he scooped up his Pichu to head in the opposite direction. When he reached the trees, he gave a parting wave that I returned with an enthusiasm I didn't feel.

I ignored the sting of jealousy as I watched him and his new best friend walk toward the horizon and then out of my sight. I stayed there for what felt like hours, sitting down, thinking about what I was going to do. I didn't know.

Then, one day, I awoke and had this sudden fire burning inside of me that seemed to compel me to get a pokemon right then and there. I would get an answer from my mom, tonight. I marched downstairs, and nearly collided headfirst into her.

"I was looking for you," she said. 

"You were?"

"Yes, sweetie, dad just called. He wished you a happy birthday." A bit late, but better late than never, right? Still, my birthday was a whole week ago!

"Thanks," I deadpanned, shuffling my feet. 

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing…" I trailed off, and turned to go back upstairs. And then, I couldn't take it anymore. I spun around. "No, you know what, there IS something wrong!"

My mom looked taken aback, and, if I was being honest, a little confused. "O-Oh? What is it, honey?"

I stalked up to her and stared up into her eyes - I maintained the best glare I could. "Why have you been trying to stop me from leaving? I'm growing up, you know, and you can't keep me here forever! You told me I could go a year ago. A whole year ago! I already have my trainers' license and everything and if I have to buy my starter myself then I will!"

I was shouting at this point. I heaved (yelling was exhausting) and stared her down. She avoided my eyes and sighed.

"I'm sorry, I know…"

"No, you don't know! Do you want me to run away!?" I screeched. I meant it, too. I was this close to bolting out the door and picking it up from there. I would figure out how I would get a pokemon later.

"No, no, I know, it's …" She sighed again and shut her eyes, thinking hard. "It's not easy. Let's cut to the chase, then." My eyebrows raised, mostly in confusion. Now she held all the cards. "I was looking for you because dad sent his gift in yesterday. It's your birthday present."

She held it out in one hand, and for a second, I felt my entire world disappear. No, it didn't disappear. My world became that ball; the red and white halves gleamed in the light, captivating me. I pried the pokeball - I could even feel my hands shaking - from my mother's hand, as she watched me.

My mom cleared her throat. "Now, just you wait," she said, voice picking up a rather cold tone. "You need to promise me you'll be safe. None of this running around and recklessly endangering yourself. I will help you pack up, and give you the things you need, but after that it's all you. I don't want to get the call that you've been in some freak accident the seventh day around, so until you have four badges, I will pull your trainers' license if I feel it's gotten out of hand." She paused as I froze. "Is that understood?"

I nodded apprehensively. I was a smart kid; I knew how to stay out of trouble. But that worry of her being able to pull my license at any time was not pleasant. I guessed that it would mean that I'd need to blitz the first four gyms as fast as possible. After all, I did want to win the Championship in a year, which had never been done before. I had to be quick about this regardless. After those first four badges, I'd be scot-free, and able to put myself in whatever danger I felt appropriate. Even if I, in all honesty, would rather stay safe. It still would give me some closure in knowing that my fate was in my hands again.

"I promise, mom." That was a lie and a half at any rate, but I would do anything it cost to get that first pokemon.

And no matter what, it was the first promise I made that night; the first of three. The second I made as I eyed the ball, finally in my hands after all that time. No matter what the pokemon that came out of that ball, I would cherish it. And I would never, ever put it in harm's way.

But I had also made a promise to myself that night. The most important and grand of all the three - a promise that I kept in the back of my mind that entire night. I would never lose my way and settle for anything lower than my wildest dreams. I would become not only the Champion, but I would strive to go past that. I would get my name out there and do everything I ever imagined doing. I would create my legacy.

I was set. My pokemon was in my hand already, and I still had my journey ahead of me. I could do this. I would do this. _We _would do this.

I sucked in a deep breath. I took a moment to steel my nerves, and then tossed the pokeball to the floor.


End file.
